Sky watchers across Scotland caught glimpses of a spectacular solar eclipse, despite thick cloud cover obscuring much of the view.
The rare solar eclipse saw the Moon cover almost the entire Sun, creating the most dramatic eclipse visible from the UK since August 1999.
The eclipse began shortly after 6pm on Wednesday and continued for around two hours, before the Sun set at approximately 9pm.
Cloudy conditions affected large parts of Scotland at the start of the event, making the solar eclipse difficult to see. However, clouds cleared partially in some areas as the eclipse progressed, giving observers brief views of the rare celestial spectacle.
While parts of Spain and Portugal experienced a total solar eclipse, Scotland saw up to 95% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
At the peak of the eclipse, only a thin crescent-shaped arc of sunlight remained visible across Scotland. In cloud-covered areas, some viewers also noticed the surroundings becoming temporarily darker as the Moon blocked much of the Sun’s light.
Although smaller partial solar eclipses are expected in the coming years, the next total solar eclipse visible from the UK is not due until 23 September 2090.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk